Christians in New Zealand Want ‘Jesus’ Back in Parliament Prayer

Christians in New Zealand will gathered in front of their parliament on January 30, 2018 to call for the reinstatement of ‘Jesus’ in the Parliamentary prayer.

The rally was held during lunchtime and Christians prayed for the Speaker of the House to bring back the name of Jesus in the opening prayer.

“Numbers speak to Parliament and this rally may be the only way to keep Jesus in the prayer, that is why we are calling for all Christians to be a part of this movement,” the church leader said.

Jesus for New Zealand spokesperson Pastor Ross Smith clarified that the gathering is not a protest rally. Instead, it is a movement to get as many Christians as possible to stand for a good cause.

“Numbers speak to Parliament and this rally may be the only way to keep Jesus in the prayer, that is why we are calling for all Christians to be a part of this movement,” the church leader said.

In November 2017, Speaker Trevor Mallard removed from Parliament’s ‘Te Reo karakia,’ or prayer, mentions of Jesus and the Queen.

Many have opined that the church is dying in New Zealand. In the last census in 2013, the number of Christians had dropped to 48 percent compared to the country’s first census in 1853

Pastor Rasik Ranchord of Abundant Life Church said on January 30, the start of the new Parliament, leaders begin the business day with a prayer. He added that many church leaders “have made submissions to Parliament to reinstate the prayer.”

Many have opined that the church is dying in New Zealand. In the last census in 2013, the number of Christians had dropped to 48 percent compared to the country’s first census in 1853 where almost all Kiwis were Christians, according to Stuff.co.nz.

Theologian Dr. Mike Crudge, however, believes otherwise. He dismisses the declining number of Christians and said people should look at the number of church goers instead.

Dr. Crudge explained that if regular church attendees represent 10 percent of the population of the community, it means that the church is growing since New Zealand’s population is growing too.

Church groups expressed concern that the modern laws are slowly letting Kiwis stray from God. Some newly passed laws contradict what is written in the Bible.

Dr. Crudge said the church has a negative perception to those not part of it. He added that many non-believers think that the church has no integrity. He advised Christians to be the ones to change this negative perception of the church.

“I think Christian people, like myself, need to be involved in transformation in their own neighborhood. That’s what the story of Jesus is, it’s a story of transforming people’s lives,” he said.

Joyce has more than 15 years experience writing news, industry articles and blogs for the private and public sectors. Most of her career was spent writing technical documentation for a software company in the Philippines.
She earned a B.A. in Communication Arts with a concentration in writing from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños. During her leisure time, Joyce pursues her interest reading fiction and playing with her dogs. She can be contacted at Joyce@onechristianvoice.com.